Good Study Habits Reap Rewards
Just like a gardener needs to water their plants and weed them, students need to study. But for many folks, it’s hard to find the time or motivation in their busy schedules. How can you stay on top of your game and not let the weeds overtake your life?
We all know that procrastination is bad for studying but maybe you’ve found an excuse that works for you. Maybe you have trouble attending class or you’re scared of a professor. Maybe you have a great idea that went nowhere. Maybe your day is always busy and you feel like there’s never enough time to get everything done.
But when you look at it closely, maybe the reason why you’re struggling is because of your study habits. Maybe staying up too late, not preparing for exams and getting behind in class are things you've been doing for years.
If that’s the case, you need to take action. Research has been done to show that when you have good study habits, your grades and test scores will improve. When you follow a schedule and make it into a routine, you won't have as many problems with procrastination.
So what are some of the best habits to be good at studying? Read on!
Neatness Does not come from perfection--it comes from having a system. -Sara Blakely (co-founder of Spanx)
Students who want to focus more on studying should think about their environment first. Just like when penning down an essay, where you think before you write, it's important to plan your study routines.
By making a study schedule, you’re telling yourself that you’re adding study as a part of your daily routine. It’s like in the Fredrick Buechner book “Wishful Thinking: A Seeker’s ABC's” that says, “The first rule of life is: Know what you're doing; the next rule is: Rule number one doesn't apply." If you want to be more successful at studying, do not procrastinate.
But like with anything, you should have a period of flexibility. That’s why you need to be able to make adjustments and use your own way of studying.
If you feel like there are too many distractions in your environment, you should consider having headsets instead. They will allow you to block out the noises and sounds around you. If this is not an option do what you can to get the noise down and take deep breaths before struggling with going into study mode.
Another tip for studying is having a paper-planner. It will enable you to write down what each day looks like and how many hours are left until each hour of the day is done. It’s a way to have your demands written out.
Another important thing to consider is having your room arrange efficiently. For example, if you have a desk in the corner that covers half of the room, maybe put up book shelves around it or an extra shelf along the walls instead. This will provide a space for you to put your documents and books. Also, this will free up more space when you’re done with them so you can clear them away and make room for new ones.
When it comes to getting ready for exams, think about these tips: Make sure you squeeze in research on certain topics so that when it's exam time, you'll be prepared. Also, keep track of any lectures you have written on your notebook or calendar so that you can make comparisons during the exam. When it's test time, check out some of these tips for a better result on exams: Don’t cram up for just one exam; Do not over drink caffeine/sugar drinks (this will cause you to crash and make you feel unfocused); Go to bed at a decent hour (7 hours before the exam is ideal); Get a good night’s rest and be well-fed beforehand; Always bring a snack in case your blood sugar drops during the exam (you'll be able to focus more) . Stay focused during the exam. Keep the following tips in mind: Do not turn your exam into a paper airplane contest; Be sure to keep track of time (if you’re taking an exam that is longer than 1 hour, make sure you allow yourself some extra time for breaks); Never use any cheat sheets or notes during the exam. If you’re caught, you can be marked as having cheated on the test and will have to retake it .
Finally, when it comes to having good study habits, be sure to have fun and reward yourself. Set goals for yourself along the way and do not expect perfection because this will only drive you crazy.
Being organized is key to being successful student. You have to invest time, energy and effort into being a student in order to be successful. If you’re motivated and manage your time well, you’ll notice that you will receive higher grades. Study hard, but not too hard. Learn how to take breaks and have fun while studying!
You might wonder how this is possible. Well, the reason why it's so hard to study may stem from poor study habits that were never developed as a child or during your teenage years. Maybe you grew up in a family who never had dinner together so each family member ate whenever they pleased. Or maybe your parents never gave you enough time to perform well in school.
If you’re not aware already, these bad study habits can turn into bad study habits once you enter college and the workforce. As adults, we forget the importance of always being controlled and setting a study schedule. But if that’s not enough to convince you, think about what happens when you don't study (i.e., procrastinating).
Basically, if you don't study, you'll be more likely to have your grades suffer than if you do. Some of the worst things that can happen to a student and the office worker who doesn't study is that they'll get fired or they won't get promoted.
So how do we beat these bad habits? We need to use a combination of patience and discipline in order to overcome them.
Study Habits
Being organized is key to being successful student. You have to invest time, energy and effort into being a student in order to be successful. If you're motivated and manage your time well, you'll notice that you will receive higher grades. Study hard, but not too hard.
Conclusion
It's difficult to start making adjustments since it requires so much effort and patience. But if you start working on it from now and make it a part of your daily routine, you'll notice the positive difference in your life.
But it's not all bad news! You can actually improve if you want to. Suppose that you're struggling with a slow learning pace. You can find ways to learn fast and get ahead of your peers. If you read more than them (which is possible even if they're older than you), then this will give you the advantage when it comes to your results and grades. However, one of the most important things is to put in the effort required in order to be successful at studying.